Thirty-five new officers joined ACT Policing last month: 26 new recruits graduated last week, and nine experienced officers from other jurisdictions moved to the ACT the week before.

All the new officers will deploy to police stations across the territory.

The recruit class comprises 20 men and six women. The youngest is 22, while the oldest is 41. Seventeen are from the ACT, and nine from interstate.

The new officers have worked with corrections, Australian Border Force, all three branches of the Australian Defence Force, as well as in sectors including finance, retail, hospitality, youth work, nursing, real estate, trades, IT, and the public service.

During their time at the AFP College in Barton, they took part in community events including the National Multicultural Festival, the Royal Canberra Show, the Australian Federal Police Commissioner’s Cup Rugby Match, and the Brad Hardy Foundation walk.

The nine experienced officers who joined ACT Policing the previous week have a combined 107 years of policing experience. They moved to the ACT under the AFP’s Skilled Police Program.

“I would like to extend the warmest of welcomes to all our newest ACT Policing officers,” Mick Gentleman, Minister for Police and Crime Prevention and Fire & Emergency Services, said.

“The ACT Government last year unveiled an unprecedented commitment to enhance community safety by investing more than $107 million in the recruitment of 126 ACT Policing personnel over five years, the largest single investment ever made in ACT Policing.

“These officers form part of that cohort.

“The Government will continue to monitor demand on ACT Policing as the territory grows, and we will continue to work with the AFP to ensure that we maintain a fit-for-purpose policing capability for the ACT.”